Synchronicity

Weak 3. Wasn’t that special to me

Police are such a great band with completely unique approach and sound. The drumming is especially superb. I was expecting to go for maximum here, but I haven't listened to them in a long time and coming back to this, it seems like a solid 4 stars, but it is lacking for 5 in some ways I feel.

Many consider "Synchronicity" to be the high point of The Police’s discography. However, I have a slightly different view and have always felt somewhat at odds with the album as a whole. Even compared to its predecessor, "Ghost in the Machine", the band had moved away from the post-punk, white reggae (Regatta de Blanc) new wave sound of their early albums, experimenting instead with synthesisers, sequencers and new forms. Driven by the egos and rivalry of three very self-assured alpha males, this experimentation escalated into hubris that culminated in "Synchronicity" and subsequently imploded. If you listen closely to the album, you realise just how much Sting, Summers and Copeland play against each other rather than with each other. They had nothing left to say to each other. Added to this is the crystal-clear yet cold production, which makes it difficult for me to connect with the album. While the album features some of the band’s best tracks (Synchronicity I & II, King of Pain and Wrapped Around Your Finger), it also contains some dreadful ones (Every Breath You Take, Miss Gradenko and Mother). Listening to the album from start to finish, it seems so cold, passionless and self-indulgent that you almost freeze to ice. In fact, 'Synchronicity' was probably the last good album this trio could have produced before things turned sour. It contains some of their best songs, as well as a lot of self-indulgence.

Man I want to give it a 4.5. it has so many amazing songs on it.

Great album

After Reggatta De Blanc, I wasn't going into this with high hopes. I think that proved to be the right approach - most of this was right on the edge of underwhelming. I get that they are trying to explore some new spaces here and I appreciate them getting away from the reggae stuff, but it just doesn't really work for me. I will call out "Mother" (the track with the lowest spotify listens) is a very big swing, and I kinda love it for that reason. If they did more of that, I might actually look forward to these albums. By far my standout track on this one, and the only reason this didn't get 2 stars.

PS- I retroactively downgraded Reggatta De Blanc because I reread my review and boy did I not like that record (I think I was trying to be deferential to it's influence on later music).

I like the Police, but even their best albums give me mixed feelings. This is not one of their best albums. It's baffling to me how this one has become their critically acclaimed magnum opus. There is *so much* filler here, including basically the entire A side. And the hits on the B side are fine but very slick and commercial sounding. Also, these guys have serious masculinity issues and it shows on basically every track.

This is dreck

Better than Coldplay

Enjoyable

I always avoided the police cause I thought sting looked and sounded like a bit of a wanker. Now I can confirm - he's a wanker who can write a catchy tune!

This one is teetering on being a 5. There’s just a few songs that kind of hold it back. Mother being by far the worst one

There's a few good songs on the album and it feels like a high 3 to me.

Day 86: The Police-Synchronicity. 3.5/5 (⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2.) The police have always occupied a strange place in my mind where I like a number of their songs but never actively seek them out. That being said, this was a pretty good album, starts with a bang on “Synchronicity 1” and keep a pretty good momentum going for its full runtime. Favorite song is probably “Mother” with its bizarre lyrics and very anxious/paranoid vocal delivery. Biggest downside is a comparatively weak final leg of the album, but there’s still a lot of good songs here.

I knew this day would come. The day when I had to listen properly to the Police after never really liking them, despite thinking they are well regarded for a reason and I do rate some of their tracks. This was good, but it allowed me to finally realise what has been going on. They are fantastic songwriters and the tunes and production are high class, but for me the music has no soul. Arrrgh-wait, Synchronicity II is such a great song I am adding an extra star.

Just really dull. Listened to it only an hour ago and can only remember every breath you take.

Never listened to an album by The Police. Mainly because Every Breath You Take and Roxanne just never did it for me.

Glad I’ve now listened to this. I can see why it’s iconic even if it’s not something I’d actively seek out.

Didn't realise how weird an album this would be. Mother is certainly out there. Theres probably a lot of depth to the album and lyrics but I'm not jumping down the rabbit hole. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.

this was surprisingly good i had a great time

Me gustó mucho la primera mitad del álbum, ese sonido levemente experimental como en Mother me voló la cabeza. Ya después de Every Breath You Take se calma bastante la vibra del álbum, no es que no me gustara, pero me llegó a sonar bastante repetitivo por momentos. Aunque de todas formas me gustó bastante el álbum en general.